Wood Bowl Maintenance
In this article you will learn the proper way to maintain the quality of your wood bowls so they stay looking nice for many years to come.
Each one of our bowls(no matter the wood species or bowl design) require a tedious and time consuming finishing process. We sand each piece all the way up to 400 grit. Then we apply 2 coats of the highest quality raw linseed oil available. Linseed oil has been used to protect and finish wood products for centuries. Not every brand of linseed oil is equal. The large majority of linseed oil that is available is not 100% pure. Especially the brands found at the common big box stores. Unfortunately we cannot trust the “pure” or “food safe” labels that many of these brands provide. Each option has harmful additives to help the shelf life, drying time, and durability. These are all great, except when it comes to a food safe finish. Linseed oil has interesting “rules” that are comparable to whiskey. For example, scotch and Irish whiskeys are very specific versions of whiskey that must originate from specific regions. Otherwise it is not the real deal. Same goes for linseed oil. If you are not getting raw linseed oil from Sweden, you’re most likely not getting 100% pure linseed oil. Swedish linseed oil manufactures claim the clarity and quality of their oil comes the amount of UV light the flax seeds are exposed to during ripening. This means flax seeds grown at higher latitudes provide higher quality oil. The extraction process is also a huge variable. Swedish manufactures use a method called cold pressing, which keeps the seeds cold throughout the process. The less heat introduced to the process means a higher level of fatty acids and flavor preservation. Heat pressing burns up many of the fatty acids. These fatty acids are very important for the oil to be able to bond on a molecular level with the wood fibers.
Boiled linseed oil is absolutely not food safe! Nor is it boiled. The term “boiled” is simply adding other ingredients to the raw linseed oil. These ingredients speed up the drying time, extends shelf life, and tints the color of the oil. In some applications this is a great finish, but it should never be used if you want a truly food safe finish.
You may notice the more you use your bowl the drier it will look and feel. Especially the more you wash it. It is ok to wash these bowls, but never in a dishwasher. Wood bowls will not hold up long term when exposed to the high heat of a dishwasher. Make sure to hand wash only and dry the bowl immediately after. Leaving it to drip dry is never a good option. Wood does not like water on it for an extended period. You run the risk of the bowl cracking, splitting, or warping. It is recommended to rehydrate your wood bowl when you notice the color has dulled, or the wood looks and feels very dehydrated. There is no set time that you need to do this. There are many variables that will determine when you need to reapply oil. These variables include, wood species, environment, and use of bowl. If you use your bowl for decorative purposes then you should not have to apply oil more than once per year. If you use it for food, and wash it frequently, then you may need to apply oil more frequent. Make sure you let the bowl dry for at least a full week after applying oil. The longer you can wait the better. Don’t let the oil sit on the surface for an extended period. Simply apply oil, then wipe any excess off. If you are unsure if your bowl needs attention or if you have any questions at all feel free to contact us. We will help you in any way we can.